Wrench



Feb. 21, 1933. J, BQLTQN I 1,898,420

WRENCH Filed March 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l I'NVENTOR Joseph. Bolton Attorney J. BOLTON I WRENCH Feb. 21, 1933.

Filed March 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet IYQVENTOR Joseph BoZfon BWW Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES JOSEPH BOLTON, OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA WRENCH Application filed March 14, 1932. serial No. 598,856.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a self adjusting wrench. Its primary object being to provide a wrench for turning pipes, bolts, nuts, etc, having self adjusting jaws.

A further object is to provide such a wrench having a leverage mechanism so arranged on the movable jaw that the greater the resistance offered by the object to be turned the greater will be the gripping power of the wrench.

A still further object is to provide such a wrench that will be a great time saver, easy to operate, there being no screw threaded portions to set, and will be inexpensive to construct.

Another object of the invention is to apply the mechanism to a pipe cutter, in which cutting wheels are mounted in the framework 0 of the jaws.

With these and other objects in view that may appear while the description proceeds the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a general view of my invention showing the jaws in closed position and in the dotted portion the open position is shown.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing parts of the mechanism broken away to disclose the inner pivotal pins and slots in which the same travel when the wrench is being adjusted.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the device as applied to a pipe cutter.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views it will be seen the invention comprises a stationary member 10 having a projection 11 thereon forming the upper or stationary jaw. The lower end 12 of the said stationary member is formed to carry the pivot 13 and is therefore extended in the opposite direction to the jaw 11. An elongated slot 14 parallels the body of the stationary member and is centrally disposed therein. The movable member 15 is composed of a jaw portion 16 and a pair of extending lugs 17. having a pin 18 through the orifice therein said pin also engaging the elongated slot 14 in which it slides as the member 15 moves into its adjusted position. Thelugs 17 are positioned on either side of themember 10. The face 19 between the said lugs slides against the face 20 of the member 10. A lower depending portion 21 of the member 15 is provided with an elongated slot 22, said slot being at right angles to the slot of the member 10. This portion 21 is of thinner dimensions than the bodyportion of the member and is engaged by the outer extremities of the lever arm 24. This lever arm 24 comprises the handle of the'wrench which has a pair of extending arms 23 substantially at right angles thereto. The aforementioned pivot pin 13, engages the orifice in the heel of the crank and a pin through the orifices in the members 23 engages the slot 22 and slides therein as the movable member is adjusted.

- In Figure 2 is shown the novel arrangement of the slots 14 and 22. When the movable member 15 is to be moved by the lever 24 the pin 25 travels through the are shown by the line X X which necessitates the elongated slot 22 as the jaws 11 and 16 are to be kept parallel.

A flat spring 26 is secured to the part 12 and extends between the extending arms 24 of the lever arm 23 and bears against the said lever arm at 26a. The tension of the spring tends to close the jaws of the wrench.

It will be clearly understood that the more pressure exerted on the lever to turn an object will, due to the leverage of the lever arm, also exert a greater pressure on the movable jaw and increase the grip on the object. It is obvious that when the lever is moved backward the grip is released.

The jaws of the wrench may be provided with a serrated face, for use on pipe as shown in Fig. 1 or a plain face for nuts, bolts, etc., as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3 the stationary member is equipped with two outter wheels 27 pivoted on pins 28. The movable member is provided with a similar cutter wheel 29 pivoted on a pin 30. Thus a pipe cutter is provided having self adjusting IHBRHS.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structure shown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in connection with the accompanying drawings without further detailed description.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A self-adjusting wrench comprising a stationary aw having a depending shank, said shank having a central longitudinal slot and an extension at its lower end, extending laterally from its rear longitudinal edge, a handle having a bifurcated end, a pivot pin pivotally securing the extension of the jaw shank in the bifurcation of said handle, a movable jaw having spaced parallel extending lugs adapted to straddle the forward edge of the stationary jaw shank, a pin extending through said lugs adapted to pass through the slot of the stationary jaw shank, pivotally and slidably connecting said movable jaw to the shank of the stationary jaw, a depending portion of said movable jaw having a transverse slot, a pivot pin eXtending through the slot in the depending portion of the movable jaw pivotally securing the same between lateral extensions, extending from the bifurcation of said handle, and a flat spring having one end secured to the extension of the stationary jaw shank and its opposite end disposed in bearing relation to the bottom of the bifurcation of the handle.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH BOLTON. 

